This book is legendary...

Have you read Hyelynn's blog post, “Legend by Marie Lu - When the truth is revealed…” ? If not, you should definitely check it out. When I read it, I was hooked on the plot of Legend. So hooked, in fact, that as soon as I got home I checked out the novel. Fast forward a couple weeks, I am writing my own review.

Legend by Marie Lu is located in the United States after a split in the nation forming the Republic and the Colonies, who are currently at war. Meanwhile, the Patriots, a rebel group, are working within the Republic to fight against it.

The Republic, the strongest nation, has a system behind its militaristic power; however, some think it is uncontroversial. When a child turns 10, they take a trial test to determine their future. The higher they rank, the more privileged they are, which ensures that the Republic only gets the best of the best in their government and military positions. If you rank below 1000, you are deemed basically useless in the eyes of the Republic. Luckily, you can sacrifice your life for studies to aid the Republic. Who wouldn’t want to do that?

Day wouldn't. He didn’t, which is why he snuck out to pursue his own life. Somehow, even though he ranked a 674, he was extremely skilled. He has been surviving on his own in the poorest parts of the Republic, which already is a difficult task. On top of that, he is the most wanted criminal. He is able to easily escape any predicament, solve any problem, and scale buildings with ease. To me, that seems like a perfect soldier, but nope, he got a failing score. 

June is the only person to ever receive a perfect score on the trial. She went to the most prestigious military school in all the Republic, but she still found a way to become bored and cause trouble. Her brother, Maties, is a high ranking general, who protects her and gives her a taste of the professional world. After his unexpected death, June takes on his position in the military. Her first task is to capture Day, the clear culprit of her brother's murder. She finds him in the slums and, without knowing her identity, Day lets her into his life.

I really enjoyed Legend because of the feeling of suspense throughout the novel. Whether it comes from the plot twists, confusion among the characters, or even dead ends that June and Day find themselves in. Additionally, it isn’t solely an action novel. There is mystery, drama, and even romance, so any reader despite their preferred genre could enjoy this series.

If you haven’t already read this series, I definitely recommend it!

-Eleni